Sales of single-family houses rose 30 percent during the last three months of 2012 in Westchester County compared to the same period during 2011, according to the report.

Richard Haggerty, the association’s chief executive officer, said the fourth quarter of 2012 was “the third consecutive quarter that shows a significant growth in terms of transactions.”

Haggerty said prices were still relatively flat in 2012, with no significant increase during the year, but there was an increase in the median price for single-family homes in the fourth quarter compared with the same time a year earlier.

The report also stated that sales in the region generally increased in each quarter of 2012 and that they were particularly strong in the final three months of the year.

Although real estate traditionally runs in cycles, said Joseph Rand, managing partner of Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty in Westchester, the fourth-quarter numbers for 2012 bode well for 2013 and beyond. “It’s looking like 1997 all over again,” he said, referring to a historically strong point in the real estate market.

“The report shows strong signs of continued stability in the market,” said Amy Kane, vice president and director of new business development for Douglas Elliman, Westchester.

The number of sales of one-family homes increased to 1,034, and the number of sales of two- to four-family homes decreased by 15.2 percent. The report also said that year-end inventory in the region (which includes Putnam, Orange and Rockland counties) amounted to 9,622 units, a decrease of 12 percent in Westchester from the 10,603 units at the end of 2011.

Rand said the combination of low interest rates and an increase in consumer confidence aided in the strong showing for the last quarter of last year. “I can’t imagine interest rates will go much lower,” he said.

“We’ve gone through a downward trending cycle the past four years," said Gary Leogrande, principal broker at Keller Williams NY Realty. "While it is impossible to time the bottom of the cycle, many indicators are that this is a great time to make a purchase.”

As to the outlook for 2013, Kane demurs on speculating, but said the real estate market is finally showing the stability that is essential for long-term growth. “People buy real estate because it is a tangible investment rather than a short-term, speculative purchase,” she said.

The report further states that as long as there are no national economic or political catastrophes, “the region’s homebuyers can look forward to a housing market that will offer moderate pricing – at least for a time.”

“This is the best time to invest – either in the form of a new home or an opportunity to trade up – in real estate in more than 30 years,” Rand said.

Haggerty said, “Barring any economic hiccups, I’m optimistic about the outlook for 2013 and beyond.”

Comments (2)

There is so much wrong about this public relations piece that the Daily Voice should be ashamed for yielding to the pressure by real estate firms to promote their wares. Flacking is a greater problem than tracking, especially in real estate.
Sellers beware of concluding that now is the right time to list your property at a price that you think the market will absorb. Sales people will tell you that your timing is right; take in an above market price listing and then you will forego common sense and not feel victimized when you are pressured to accept lower offers than the market fervor would suggest.
But at least sellers have a place to live while their property stagnates.
It's the buyers who the sales people are counting upon to step up to the plate.
Once more the lure of "investment" becomes the theme du jour while diverting your attention from the classic economics of renting vs. purchasing. What should be considered is that property taxes are due for enormous increases as the momentary lull of the 2% cap gives way to the realities that municipal employees are due for postponed raises and retirement funds are insufficient to meet the demands of a larger pool of retirees. What were once included services and programs are giving way to pay as you go charges to lessen the demands of budget imbalances.
Expect home heating costs to ratchet up sharply in the coming years.
School, fire, sewer taxing districts will not be left behind in the updraft.
Higher taxes = lower bids and most important, mortgage money to buy now is cheap but what will rates be for the buyer when you decide to sell.
All these concerns are ignored by those pitching a basic need as an "investment".
And beware of these statistics which real estate firms are so freely dispensing.
The only "scientific" number is the number of sales which does not infer whether sales were at affirming price levels. Prices relative to the asking price or weeks on the market have more holes in their logic than swiss cheese. The notion that both the buyer and the seller, in one transaction, have made a good deal is a contradiction in terms especially since the color of the tile in the bathroom or the view from the kitchen window cannot be quantified.
More hype from hypnotists who make their living selling intangibles marketed as comps. In a commission based business, the lesser factor is price. Encouraging transactions, high or low in dollars being of no consequence, is what matters re payday and the entity which controls the listing is always assured of the lion's share with the MLS providing the legwork. Think about it, with a MLS, what's the benefit of "exclusives" other than to feather the nest of the listing agency.
Have a nice day.